December 9, 2021,9:00(JST), UTEcon will hold a seminar “Data Innovation and Competition”.

“Data Innovation and Competition”

Hosted by UTokyo Economic Consulting Inc.
Supported by KEIDANREN (Japan Business Federation)
Managed by KEIDANREN Business Services

The recent accelerated digitalization has generated much attention toward how accumulation and utilization of data contributes companies to build business models and enhances their competitiveness. This is a key question from various perspectives including competition policy and law. Wide ranging stakeholders in Japan and abroad have involved in the quite active discussions on this topic. In addition, we need to build better governance various stakeholders from both public and private sectors participate in, to implement societal innovations brought by complex and rapidly changing advanced technologies such as big data and AI.
Therefore, UTokyo Economic Consulting Inc. (UTEcon) holds this seminar with the support of KEIDANREN（Japan Business Federation）and the management cooperation of KEIDANREN Business Services. This seminar will introduce the latest policy and academic discussions in Japan on the challenges and benefits of data accumulation and utilization, including the required state of governance, as well as the trends in global discussions.
We look forward to the participation of those in legal departments of private companies, government agencies, lawyers, researchers, and others related to this theme.

Seminar Outline

1.Date and Time:

Thursday, December 9, 2021, 9:00 – 12:00(JST)
*Simultaneous interpretation will be provided in English and Japanese.

2. Venue:

Zoom webinar
*Pre-registration required.

3. Participation fee:

Free

4. Registration:

To participate, please pre-register for Zoom at the following URL
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_BBP0vtQCQoG5KJNBEvhO4g
*You will receive a “Registration Confirmation Email” to your registered email address once your registration is complete. On the day of the seminar, please click on the “Click here to join(ここをクリックして参加)” link in the email to join the seminar.

5. Others:

To participate in this seminar, you will need to be able to use Zoom (equipment and communication environment). If you have any questions about Zoom, please contact your company’s system department for further information.

Seminar Programs

9:00 – 9:10 Opening Remarks

Yos Kawaharata, CEO, UTokyo Economic Consulting Inc.
Takashi Inoue, Managing Director, KEIDANREN (Japan Business Federation)

9:10 – 9:40 Keynote Speech

“JFTC’s recent activities for the digital sector” (TBD) / Q&A Session
Shuichi Sugahisa, Director General, Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC)

9:40 – 10:00 Presentation 1

“Lessons from the data regulation – implication of effect of GDPR on business” (TBD)
Ginger Zhe Jin, Professor, University of Maryland（Former Director of Economics Bureau, Federal Trade Commission）

10:00 – 10:20 Presentation 2

“Agile Governance — a framework to boost Data Innovation”
Hiroki Habuka, Deputy Director for Global Digital Governance, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI)

10:20 – 10:30 Break

10:30 – 10:50 Presentation 3

“The role of data in the retail industry: An economic assessment”
Kensuke Kubo, Chief Economist, UTokyo Economic Consulting Inc.

10:50~11:45 Panel Discussion

□Moderator
Yasutora Watanabe, Director, UTokyo Economic Consulting Inc.
□Panelists
Ginger Zhe Jin, Professor, University of Maryland
Hiroki Habuka, Deputy Director, METI
Kensuke Kubo, Chief Economist, UTEcon
□Possible topics
・How data generates competitiveness to firms? /Any difference or distinction in the role of data across different business categories (data-driven business, retail and others)?
・How should we (regulators/businesses) respond to both potential benefits and challenges raised by data in the digital sector? (e.g., policy making, enforcement)
・How competition policy should interplay with other connected areas such as privacy, data security, IP? Any lessons from the past legislations overseas (GDPR, CCPA)? In particular, how should we delineate the roles of competition policy and domain-specific policies such as personal data protection and consumer protection? How we should develop the governance model (law, regulation, standard etc.) to what extent?

11:45 – 11:55 Q&A session

11:55 – 12:00 Closing Remarks

Yos Kawaharata, CEO, UTokyo Economic Consulting Inc.